The University of Maryland Terrapins fell to 6-4 overall, and 0-1 in Big Ten play yesterday with their 83-64 loss at Iowa.
This 19 point drubbing coming after getting crushed by Gonzaga, and Alabama on November 26th and 27th at the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas.
Things don’t get any easier, as next up for Maryland is #3 Michigan at home Saturday night.
Quick Hits
1) One Positive; The Roster Is Finally Healthy
Yesterday was the first day that Buzz Williams had his full roster available (not including Rakease Passmore who is out for the year with an injury). While it didn’t matter yesterday, it’s something that Williams can build on. Williams took over in April, and had to build a roster from scratch. He had four players join him from Texas A&M, and everyone else was new to his system (and each other). If everyone had been healthy through training camp, and these initial 10 games – that would have been a significant adjustment for all involved. Unfortunately, this roster was bit by the injury bug starting in camp, making that adjustment even harder. In October Williams was quoted that out of the first 26 practices, the Terps had only had 4-6 which he considered ‘high-major’ practices. Many days he didn’t have enough healthy bodies. Only five MD players have played all 10 games. Solomon Washington has now played his first 2 games of the year. Myles Rice has been limited to 3.
The cumulative roster talent was probably NCAA Tournament bubblicious if everyone had stayed healthy from the jump.
As is, they’re that much further behind the curve in building cohesiveness and being at their best – whatever their best may be.
That said, it’s a positive that their healthy now. That does give them a chance to improve.
2) Thoughts On The Shooting?
It’s a great thing that MD is highly effective at getting to the line, because this is not a good shooting roster. Their not quite as abysmal shooters as the ’23-’24 group, but their averaging 30.9% from 3, and 40.6% overall from the floor after yesterday. Darius Adams is averaging 26% from 3 on 5 attempts per. Andre Mills started hot, but he’s now 1 for his last 14 from 3, dropping his 3point shooting % to 24.4% on 4.1 attempts per game. Isaiah Watts is at 24.2% on 3.3 attempts per game.
Can the outside shooting be improved?
Watts made 34.8% of his attempts last year (5.7 attempts per game) with Washington State. That’s encouraging.
Rice was at 32.5% last year with Indiana on 2.6 attempts. He figures to get more looks going forward as he finds his legs.
Diggy Coit is at 42.4% for the year from 3 (5.9 attempts per). That’s significantly above his career average, but it’s clear he can shoot.
Elijah Saunders has hit 4 of his last 7, improving his 3point percentage to 33.3%. He’s at 2.7 attempts per game this year. Last year at Virginia he was making 34.7% of 3.3 attempts per game.
Adams and Mills have to find their stroke, or their attempts have to come down.
MD will need Watts and Rice to warm up.
3) Is there any hope for the defense?
MD got absolutely torched vs. the Zags and Crimson Tide – I don’t think there is much reason to spend time thinking about those games. Currently those teams are out of MD’s league. There was a difference of talent. These were also experienced teams playing a MD team where the Terps players were still wearing nametags to identify themselves to their teammates.
Yesterday vs. Iowa was another matter to me.
Washington is supposed to be the Terps best defensive player, and as we said above; yesterday was his second game back.
Iowa has their own 1st year Head Coach.
If there is any talent difference between Iowa’s and Maryland’s roster; it’s minimal at best.
The Terps shouldn’t be getting run off the floor by the Hawkeyes.
Iowa was 9 of 22 from 3, and they had 16 more FG attempts than MD.
One reason for those additional Iowa FG attempts is that MD had 18 turnovers.
Based off his billing, I’d expect Washington to make a difference as a perimeter defender.
Pharrel Payne is a presence inside.
If MD does a better job holding on to the ball, that will limit some of the additional opposing FG attempts.
One issue that this MD roster is going to regularly deal with is that they’ll need Coit’s offense, but he’s exploitable defensively.
Saunders is 6’8, 240. He had 5 rebounds per game last year, and he’s at 4.9 this year.
He’s got to help Payne inside, and make rebounding a priority.
Rice, Adams, and Watts are going to have regular minutes every game.
Get out on shooters and make them work.
Some of it’s positioning, and handling rotations.
I’d imagine some of that improves with regular practice time together.
4) What Does The Remaining Schedule Look Like?
Maryland has 19 more conference games ( not including the Big Ten Tournament ), along with at Virginia and home vs. Old Dominion.
Maryland is currently 99th in the KenPom rankings (134th offense, 70th defense).
Maryland has wins vs. Marquette (92nd), and UNLV (143rd).
Virginia is 20th currently in the KenPom rankings.
ODU is 211th.
The remaining conference games are:
Michigan (1st in KenPom, ranked #3)
Oregon (89th)
Indiana (28th, ranked #22)
@ UCLA (31st)
@ USC (35th, ranked #24)
Penn State (94th)
@ Illinois (11th, ranked #14)
@ Michigan State (12th, ranked #7)
Purdue (6th, ranked #1)
Ohio State (33rd)
@ Minnesota (113th)
Iowa (25th)
@ Rutgers (137th)
@ Northwestern (61st)
Washington (49th)
@ Nebraska (48th)
Rutgers (137th)
@ Wisconsin (22nd)
Illinois (11th, ranked #14)
My best guess as of today is that they’ll go 9-12 in these remaining 21 games, and finish the regular season 15-16 (8-12).
But that’s just a guess.
If they can improve, they’ve got lots of opportunities in-front of them for quality wins.
If they finished the regular season going 12-9 in these remaining 21 games; and finished 18-13 (11-9); they’d be on the bubble entering the Big Ten Tournament.
A win or two in the BTT with that resume; and they could hear their name called on Selection Sunday.
That would be a fantastic accomplishment for this group.
5) What about next year?
Coit is a Grad Student.
Payne, Washington, Saunders, Collin Metcalf are Seniors.
Those that can return are:
Guards: Rice, Adams, Mills, Watts, Passmore
Wings: Del Pino, Turkson Jr,
Bigs: Aleks Alston
Maryland currently has the 3rd ranked class Nationally of incoming recruits per 247 Sports
Baba Oladoton, 5 star, SF
Kaden House, 4 star, CG
Adama Tambedou, 4 star, PF
Austin Brown, 3 star, SF
It’s a safe bet that MD will be looking to add a Center in the portal.
Currently I’m thinking it would look like a starting group of Rice, Adams, Oladoton, Tambedou, and a Portal 5; with Mills, Watts, Passmore, House, Del Pino, Tukrson, Alston, and Brown as reserves.
I don’t know if it’s realistic to expect Tambedou to start immediately. He’s described has having strong physicality and athleticism though.
Lots of guards and wings. Maybe some of that shakes out with portal departures, and we see additional bigs added.
Chris Stoner
Owner
Chris Stoner founded Baltimore Sports and Life in 2009. He has appeared as a radio guest with 1090 WBAL, 105.7 The Fan, CBS 1300, Q1370, WOYK 1350, WKAV 1400, and WNST 1570. He has also been interviewed by The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Business Journal, and PressBox (TV). As Owner, his responsibilities include serving as the Managing Editor, Publicist, & Sales Director.
